Article positioning and case loading apparatus



Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON, JR" ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE-.3..-

' IN V EN TORS. John Z. Fer uson, Jr:

Wayne 5 INVENTORS F/yusan, Jr: 0: 6'. Gary ATTORNEY.

18 Sheets-Sheet 2 {la/h Z. BY "7 Y M J. L. FERGUSON, JR, ETAL ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Oct. 5, 1965 Filed Nov. 10, 1961 Emm v Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS 18 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 10, 1961 INVENTORS John Z. Foyu: Wayne 6. 60 19 ai /W ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON, JR., ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 a Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TORS. John L. Feryusan, Jr: Wayne E Gary ATTORNEY.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. 1.. FERGUSON, JR, ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TORS. John Z. fer uson, Jr Wayne 5 Gay A TI'ORNE Y.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. 1.. FERGUSON, JR., ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet e FLE 7 a4 65 69 h; i. ill 5257 7 I Q1 ii /70 IN V EN TORS John L Fe/yuson, Jr:

BY Wayne A. Gay

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 5, 1965 .1. L. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10. 1961 a Sheets-Sheet 'r Flrzl D INVENTORS. John L. l-"eryusan, J:

Wayne E. Gar

A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. FERGUSON, JR., ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS. John L Fer use, Jr. By ll/ayne 4-. my

ATTORNEY.

18 Sheets-Sheet 1O vmm MQN 3! J. L. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL Oct. 5, 1965 ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 IN V EN TORS. John L. Hwy By Wayne E A TI'ORNE Y.

Oct. 5, 1965 .1. L. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 11 &; 20/

INVENTORS. Ja/m L' Ferjuson, Jr: BY Wayne 5. Gary ATTORNEY.

mucus POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1.0,v 1-961 J. l... FERGUSON, JR, ETAL Oct. 5, 1965 18 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TORS 07080)) Wayne 5 Gar ATTORNEY.

Jab/1 L. F

IlllllLlllllll Oct. 5, 1965 .1. FERGUSON, JR., ETAL 3,209,512-

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS 18 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Nov. 10, I961 IN V EN TORS John Z @7030, Jr

Wayne 6 Gay flnfl/flfiw ATTORNEY.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTORS. Ja/m L Fer usan, Jr: BY (Wayne 6. Gay

'ATTORNEY.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON, JR. ETAL 3,

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS .Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet l5 FlE- lE IN V EN TORS A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. L. FERGUSON. JR. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 1a Sheets-Sheet l6 INVENTORS. John L Ev l/Jon Jr. By Wayne Gary ATTORNEY.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. FERGUSON, JR.. ETAL 3,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10. 1961 1s Sheets-Sheet 17' 4 0 INVENTORS.

fa/7n L. Fer axon, Jr:

"ZZZ/Z2 A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 5, 1965 J. 1.. FERGUSON, JR. ETAL 73,209,512

ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1961 18 Sheets-Sheet 18 FlE- E.5

Pl -5 E. 7.

INVENTORS.

-/0An L. 5/91/50 Jr: BY d/a H9 11''. Gay

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,209,512 ARTICLE POSITIONING AND CASE LOADING APPARATUS John L. Ferguson, Jr., Downers Grove, Ill., and Wayne E. Gary, Reading, Pa., assignors to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 151,492 13 Claims. (Cl. 53-61) The instant invention relates to a machine for loading products such as cans into rectangular cartons or cases and more particularly is concerned with a machine for automatically packaging cans of the type each having a bail or handle consisting of a wire loop with its ends received in ears projecting from diametrically opposite sides of the can adjacent the upper end thereof. Such cans are typified by gallon paint cans which are normally packaged for shipment with four to a carton or case but it will be understood that the invention is not so limited and that cans of other types, sizes, and for other purposes may be encased by the device of the instant invention.

Bailed cans of the type referred to, as they are discharged in procession from the filling, lidding, and bail applying stations, normally are in no particular or defined arrangement with respect to positions of the bails thereon the vertical planes of the bail ears lying at any angle with respect to the direction of movement of the succession, and the bails themselves resting against one or the other of the sides of the can or being in raised or partially raised position. These conditions add to the operations necessary to package the cans as, unless an oversize carton is to be used which is obviously undesirable, the bails must be brought against the can walls and the cans so arranged that when in the case or carton the bail ears and the portions of the bails projecting outwardly therefrom lie in the open spaces defined by the divergence of the can and carton walls. Heretofore to so position the bails and arrange the cans has necessarily required manual operations.

The principal object of the instant invention is the provision of apparatus adapted to receive boiled cans and to automatically arrange the cans in groups constituting case loads with the bail and hail ears of each can of a group in the desired positions described above. Another object of the invention is the provision of means for loading such groups of cans into cases while maintaining the bails in their predetermined set positions whereby in the package the loops of the bails resting against the can walls engage the walls of the case with the bail ears and projecting bail portions lying in open spaces of the carton or case.

Another object of the invention is the provision in apparatus attaining the foregoing objects of means for receiving the cans, shunting the cans into separate lanes, moving the cans through said lanes, and first rotating the cans to align the bail ears transversely to the direction of travel of the cans.

Another object of the invention is the provision in such apparatus of means for positioning the bail of each can of a group of four cans against the can wall defining in part the front or rear of the group.

A further object of the invention is'the provision in such apparatus of means for segregating each such group of cans to be encased from following cans or groups thereof. A still further object is the provision of means to rotate each can of a segregated group to an extent that the vertical plane of the bail ears extends across a corner of the group.

A still further object of the invention is the provision in such apparatus of means for loading groups of cans in the positions defined in the last mentioned object into 3,209,512 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 p ce cases or cartons while maintaining the relative positions of the cans of each group.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for driving the several mechanisms referred to above to obtain a predetermined sequence of operations.

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the more detailed description to follow and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan schematic view of the apparatus employed in the instant invention together with certain associated mechanisms;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a carton loaded by the apparatus of FIG. 1 disclosing the arrangement of the cans therein;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrows 33' of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view on a further enlarged scale of the portion of the apparatus between the arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the mechanism between the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 4;

. FIG. 7 is a detailed cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a detailed plan .view of the portion of the mechanism between the arrows 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 5 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGS. 10 to l0d inclusive are cross-sectional views taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arows and illustrating the parts during different stages of their operation;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1313 of FIG. 12 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 12 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 15 is a detailed elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detailed plan view of the portion (1)? the mechanism between the arrows 1616 of FIG.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged elevational view taken in the direction of the arrows 17-17 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 18 18 of FIG. 17 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged detailed elevational view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 12; 7

FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2020 of FIG. 12 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 21--21 of FIG. 20 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 22 is an elevational view, with parts in section of the mechanism shown in FIG. 20 looking from the left thereof;

line 2424 of FIG. 23 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged plan view of the clutch mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken on the line 26-26 of FIG. 25 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 27 is a detailed elevational view with parts in section of the mechanism shown between the arrows 27- 27 of FIG. 25.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to the schematic showing in FIG. 1 there is illustrated an apparatus in accordance with the invention. Also illustrated in said figure are additional mechanisms, particularly a case opener, indicated generally at 30, and a case sealing and pressing unit, indicated generally at 32, which form no part of the instant invention and which may be of any suitable type. Hence they will not be described in detail. The device of the instant invention includes a continuously driven conveyor 34 adapted to receive at its entry end (the left end as viewed in FIG. 1) cans to be packaged or encased after filling, lidding, bail applying, etc. The cans 36, such as gallon cans of paint having bail cars 37 and bails 38 with their ends received within perforations in the bail ears, are delivered to conveyor 34 without predetermined orientation of the bails. As will be understood the bails in some instances may be resting against one side or the other of the can and in other instances may be more or less upright. Also the cans may be in any position laterally of the conveyor. A dividing wall 40 defines, in the particular construction illustrated, two channels through which the cans are conveyed, the channels being of a width approximately equal to the diameters of the bodies of the cans. At the forward end of the dividing wall, the left end as viewed in FIG.4, a switching device 41 is pivotally mounted, the switching device functioning to shift the cans received on the conveyor alternately into the channels. As illustrated particularly in FIG. 4 switching device 41 comprises a substantially triangular plate mounted for pivotal movement on a stud 42 threaded into dividing wall 40, the extent of its pivotal movement in either direction being under the control of a stop 43 also secured to the dividing wall. As will be readily understood the switching device, when in either the full or dot-and-dash line position illustrated, will block one of the channels causing a can to enter the other channel. Upon entry of the can and its continued movement down the other channel the can will cause the switching device to rotate on its pivot, as for example from the dot-and-dash line position of FIG. 4 to the full line position, to block the other channel and open the one channel to the next succeeding can.

As the cans travel along the channels they first pass through a bail ear orienting station indicated in its entirey at 45, and hereinafter to be described in detail, in which the cans are rotated to position their bail ears in planes transversely of the conveyor. Continued travel of the conveyor carries the cans to what is here termed a bail flipping station indicated generally at 46, and also to be described in detail hereinafter, in which the cans of a group of cans to constitute a case load, four in the instance illustrated, are subjectedto the action of means to flip their bails from whatever position in which they lie into positions wherein the bails of the leading two cans of the group lie against the forward walls and the bails of the trailing two cans lie against the rearward walls thereof.

Conveyor 34 then delivers the cans to a can assembling orienting and loading station indicated generally at 47 wherein cans constituting a case load and with their bails in the positions determined by the bail flipping means are removed from conveyor 34 assembled in a group and the group separated from following cans. The cans of the assembled group are then individually rotated through arcs of approximately forty-five degrees to position the planes of their bail ears diagonally with respect to the group, which will be their positions when encased (FIG. 2), and the group is subjected to the action of a plunger mechanism 48 by which the group is impelled laterally into a case or carton 50 previously opened at the case opening station 30 and brought into alignment with the pusher member. As will be observed the cases are of the end or side opening type whereby the cans will stand upright in the final package. Thereafter the loaded cases are conveyed to the case flap sealing and compressing station of any desired type indicated at 32 wherein glue is applied to the flaps and the flaps are closed and sealed.

As previously mentioned the cans when loaded in the manner described above have their bails resting against the sides of the cans in the positions as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the bail ears in the open spaces formed by the divergence of the cans and the case Walls. Hence the tioned at opposite sides of the dividing wall 40, the latter being mounted in the machine to extend upwardly between the belts. The belts as illustrated in FIG. 3 are carried by rollers 53 (only the rollers at the left end of the conveyor being shown in that figure) fixedly mounted on suitable shafts 58 which are in turn mounted for rotation in bearings 54 supported on frame members 55 on opposite sides of the machine. The upper flight of each belt is held against downward yielding by a plate 56 (see FIG. 7) resting upon and secured to the upper edge of one or the other frame member 55. Plates 56 at the outer edges carry angles 57 secured thereto in any suitable manner, the vertical flanges thereof defining the outer walls of the two conveying channels hereinabove referred to. The width of the channels, i.e. the spacing of the flanges of angles 57 from the adjacent sides of dividing wall 40 is such that the cans can move freely through the channels with slight clearance. It should be noted that the height of the dividing wall as well as of the flanges of the angles 57 is such that neither will contact the bails or bail ears of the cans. to cause the upper flights thereof to travel in the direction indicated by the arrow (FIG. 1) and at a predetermined uniform speed by a motor through the medium of a line shaft 86 and a suitable gear box and belt drive connected to the shaft 58 at the right end of the conveyor indicated generally at 87 in FIG. 3.

Mounted adjacent the outer edges of the conveyor at the bail ear orienting station 45 and associated with each of the belts 52 of the conveyor are means to rotate the cans and secure the transverse orientation of the bail ears at a level to contact the can wall adjacent the lower portion thereof and beneath the bail in any position of the latter, and is carried by pulleys or rollers 62. Roller 62- at the left as viewed in FIG. 6 is mounted for rotation on a vertically extending stub shaft 64 carried by a bracket The belts are continuously driven 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR ARRANGING CANS, HAVING BAILS SECURED IN OPPOSITELY PROJECTING BAIL EARS, FOR LOADING INTO CASES, MEANS CONVEYING A SUCCESSION OF SAID CANS, MEANS FOR GROUPING A CASE LOAD OF SAID CANS, MEANS FOR SOEGREGATING SAID GROUP FROM SAID SUCCESSION, AND MEANS FOR ARRANGING THE CANS OF SAID GROUP WITH THEIR BAILS AND BAIL EARS AND PREDETERMINED POSITION INCLUDING MEANS FOR POSITIONING THE BAILS OF SAID CANS AGAINST PREDETERMINED SIDES THEREOF WHILE THE CANS ARE CONVEYED IN SAID SUCCESSION OF CANS. 